Police to beef up security at USC-UCLA game

PASADENA, Calif. 
Los Angeles County probation officers will for the first time patrol Saturday's football game between UCLA and Southern California as part of an effort to deter fan violence.

The officers will monitor tailgates at the Rose Bowl for probation violations while Pasadena police patrol the stadium to enforce a set of commonsense rules for fans to follow.

The rules, called the Fan Code of Conduct, were recently formed by a task force comprised of law enforcement, sports teams and major venues in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The rules grew out of an increasing concern about drunken hooliganism.

Nearly two years ago, a fight among dozens of fans before a UCLA-Southern California game at the stadium left two men with stab wounds and two officers with minor injuries. More than 40 people were arrested.

"This is one of the greatest sport rivalries of Southern California and things have gotten heated in the past," said Carol Lin, a spokeswoman for the probation department. "Emotions run high around a game like this."

She said probation officers have the ability to check the background of anyone who gets too drunk, offensive or violent at the stadium, and determine on the spot whether they have violated the terms of their probation.